Throes of Perdition
by Mallon Schwarz
Summary: When shopping for Usagi's engagement ring, the last thing Rei and Mamoru figured to find was the Dark Moon clan running the jewelry store. To make matters worse, buying the ring initiated the beginning of Crystal Tokyo, and the threat of Wiseman is back.


It came to me suddenly the other day. Everyone always revives the Generals. I was thinking, why not revive the Dark Moon family? I liked them for some reason. So, that is what I did.

Pairings are going to be as follows, and a little strange: Usagi/Mamoru, Rei/Rubeus, Ami/Urawa, Minako/Demando, Makoto/Motoki, Esmeraude/Asanuma, Saphir/Petz, Koan/Yuuichiro

Summary: When Rei and Mamoru go shopping for Usagi's engagement ring they stumble upon the Dark Moon family, except they seem completely human. If that isn't disconcerting enough, the first pillar of Crystal Tokyo has emerged, and the threat of darkness forever looms over their heads.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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><p><strong>Throes of Perdition<strong>

_**Prologue**_

Rei could hardly stand to look at Mamoru anymore. He just wouldn't shut up!

When he had first asked her to come along to find Usagi's engagement ring, Rei had agreed on the spot. After all, Usagi _was_ her best friend. She had to make sure he didn't try and back out after he saw the prices. Usagi would get the ring of her dreams, and after a week of inconspicuous probing Rei had a good idea what that was. But, that aside, Mamoru was a compulsive worrier. And it was getting on her last nerve. Perhaps she should have just let Mamoru find the ring on his own.

"What if she hates what I pick out?" He asked as they casually walked down the sidewalk. Rei found herself rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I mean it has to be perfect-"

"Mamoru," Rei grunted. "It doesn't matter how many times you ask me that, my answer will still remain the same. Usagi doesn't care what you get her. I do. So stop worrying about it or I'm going home."

Mamoru chuckled. He had often wondered in the early years how Usagi and Rei remained friends, but as time wore on he figured it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. Sure, they had toned down their spats with age, but even high school graduation wasn't going to stop them from going at it every once in a while. But, even with Rei's somewhat temperamental outbursts, Mamoru felt a companionship in Rei that he didn't with the other Senshi. Usagi was their first and foremost priority, happiness be damned.

"Sorry, Rei, I'm just not good at this."

Rei sighed. "I know. Just relax."

The pair walked along in relative silence after that. They were both busy people, so time to think didn't come along too often. Mamoru was in his second year of medical school, but instead of going back to America he stayed in Japan. He couldn't be away from Usagi that long. Rei was in her first year of college at Waseda with Minako. It was Saturday, so there were no classes. They had both made up some excuse to Usagi so they could go buy her ring, and the blonde bought it. Minako did help somewhat: she took Usagi to the movies as a distraction.

"Where are we going again?" Rei asked. They had visited what felt like a million jewelry stores, but the rings were never up to Mamoru's standards.

"There is this place that I've heard about on the news a few times. It's called DSER Precious Stones. It has won awards and people always talk about them on the Internet."

"So, you are going to have to give them one of your kidneys in exchange for a cubic zirconium ring?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes. "No. It's a family shop. Been there before we were born. They cater to everyone."

"Did you get that off their website?"

Rei's extreme pessimism was always refreshing.

When they reached the shop Rei was already more impressed than she had been with the other stores. Not because of the modesty of the arrangement in the shop window (though it was very appealing in comparison to the overwhelming one at Kay Jewelers), but for the family-owned vibe she felt off the place. Sometimes she thought the temple she ran with her grandfather was the only family-esque thing still in Tokyo. She smiled and looked at Mamoru.

"Alright, go get meatball head's ring." Rei motioned Mamoru to the door. The bell made a little chime when they walked in, signaling to the owner that they had customers.

The inside was just as charming as the outside. Instead of typical glass cases, the jewelry was inside different armoires and antique boxes. There were several tables in the center, glass tops protecting the rings inside them. Mamoru went immediately to start searching for Usagi's ring, but Rei was drawn away by something else. She hung back by the door and looked at the pictures on the wall. One of them in particular made her heart leap into her chest. However, before she could run and tell Mamoru, a voice filled the room.

"Hello, welcome to DSER Precious Stones."

It was Esmeraude in the flesh, smiling at Mamoru as she walked over to him. Mamoru, nervous as hell, looked to find Rei back by his side. They took deep breaths and tried to play it cool. Rei looked around. There was no sign of the others. Maybe this was just a coincidence.

"My name is Esmeraude. What can I help you with today?" She smiled at Mamoru then to Rei. Definitely no coincidence. "Wedding rings?"

"Yeah." Mamoru thought he was going to throw up. "We are trying to find something for my fiancé."

Esmeraude turned to Rei. "So are you the sister?"

"Best friend."

"Oh, I see." She turned her back on them and walked over to an armoire. "Well, these are the finest rings we have…"

Mamoru went over to listen to her spill about their rings and Rei stayed behind to look at a case alone. She dug her phone out of her pocket and dialed Ami. The other two were far enough away to leave her conversation private.

"Hello?"

Rei was thankful that Ami was the best out of all the Senshi about answering her phone. "Hey, Ames, I need you to do something for me."

"You alright?"

Rei looked around again. Just Esmeraude and Mamoru. "I need you to look up DSER Precious Stones for me."

There was typing on the other end. Rei watched Esmeraude get a ring out of the case and hand it to Mamoru, who despite their urgent situation was looking elated.

"Might I ask why-" Ami suddenly stopped talking. "Oh dear. Are you and Mamoru there alone?"

"Yes." Rei bit out. "But, it's just Esmeraude. She seems… normal."

There was some more typing and random noises on Ami's end. Rei got distracted looking at the rings in front of her. They were all made of rubies.

"It looks like she very well could be. All of them are listed on their website. Demando and Saphir's father started the business with Esmeraude's mother. Rubeus' father came along later. When they had children they-"

"Passed on the business, I get it." Rei sighed. "So, why are they here?"

"I don't know. I'll dig further." Ami began typing furiously. "Meanwhile, get out of there. I'll call you in ten minutes."

Rei shut her phone and put it back in her purse. This had all the potential in the world to get really bad really fast. She sauntered back over to Mamoru and Esmeraude who were looking at a massive diamond. Mamoru took it from Esmeraude and let Rei hold it. Her eyes about fell out of her head. Usagi could knock someone out with this.

"What do you think, Rei? Do you think Usa will like it?"

"No, it's too big. That's something Minako would want." She shook her head. "I think you forget you have the easiest woman to please."

Mamoru handed the ring back to Esmeraude. "So, what would you suggest then?"

Rei looked to Esmeraude, and as much as she wanted to roast her where she stood she didn't. "Do you have any pink diamonds?"

She immediately perked up. "Yes! Over here. We only got a few in because Rubeus is a moron and didn't order very many pink diamonds, but the ones he did order were breathtaking. Saphir and Demando made the rings."

"Are those your colleagues?" Rei probed. Mamoru tried to silence her with his eyes, but it didn't work.

"Yes. Demando and Saphir actually own the store." She unlocked another armoire. "Their father passed down the business to them when he died. My mother worked with them and I just stuck around."

It was very disconcerting to see her like a normal human being. She wore slacks and a yellow dress shirt, very human. Her green hair was curled and hung around her shoulders, also human. Even the laugh Rei once thought heinous wasn't so bad when Death Phantom didn't possess Esmeraude. Her eyes began wonder on the rings. She didn't feel any present danger, so they might as well get Usagi's ring.

The pink diamonds were definitely up Usagi's alley. Mamoru was asking Esmeraude about different things as she pulled rings out of the case. It was hard to believe that Mamoru was finally going to ask Usagi to marry him. Took him long enough! Just because they were destined didn't give him the right to drag his feet. Rei actually let her mind wonder enough to briefly think about her wedding ring.

Yeah right. She would never get married.

"What about this one, Rei?"

The ring was perfect. It was simple, but elegant. The band was adorned with white diamonds, surrounding a big heart of pink diamond. The wedding band was made up of white diamonds, and together it looked like a priceless artifact. Rei forgot she hadn't responded and immediately felt embarrassed.

"Yes. That is definitely Usagi." Rei couldn't stop looking at it. It was as if it was made especially for Usagi. "It's perfect."

Esmeraude took the ring and placed it in a box. Rei hardly paid any attention to Mamoru as he took out his credit card. Her stomach began to hurt for some reason. She leaned on the counter and put her head in her hands. God, she was going to retch on all this invaluable jewelry!

"Rei, are you alright?" Mamoru looked to his friend for a moment, but Rei was focusing on something else. It almost happened in slow motion. The moment Esmeraude placed the box containing the ring in Mamoru's hand, the floor began to shake. People began screaming outside, cars started blaring their horns. Rei fell to the ground and began holding her head. The pain seemed to move from her stomach now. Esmeraude clutched the side of countertop, holding on as the ground shook.

Two figures ran out from somewhere in the store, but Rei's head hurt too bad to see straight. She dropped her head between her knees. The denim of her jeans hardly being felt on her skin. What was happening? Surely a normal earthquake wouldn't be doing this to her?

Then it stopped.

A phone rang inside the shop. Rei looked up to see two of her former enemies, Demando and Saphir, watching her and Mamoru with frantic expressions. Demando pulled a phone out of his pocket and answered. His hair was still as white as it had been in the past.

"Rubeus, what is going on?"

There was a pause. Mamoru shoved the box into his jacket pocket and helped Rei to her feet. She mumbled a quick "I'm fine" and pulled away from him.

"Are you sure?" Demando sounded skeptical on the phone. "Rubeus, I think you have fallen off that motorcycle one too many times."

Demando hung up the phone shortly after that. Rei watched as his eyes scanned all of them, his mouth open as if he were trying to say something but couldn't. Esmeraude groaned from her place at the register.

"Demando! What is it?"

He looked blankly at all of them. "Rubeus said there is a giant crystal coming out of the ground outside the shop."

Rei wasted no time and ran out of the store. She covered her mouth with her hands. A crystal the size of a skyscraper had come out of the ground, right in the middle of the street. People began crowding around it, some afraid some excited. The white crystal was beautiful. The three Dark Moon family look-alikes were standing behind her alongside Mamoru, all of them wearing the exact same look. However, only Rei and Mamoru were thinking along the same lines.

There was no way this was happening. Crystal Tokyo wasn't supposed to come so soon.

Right?

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><p><strong>End of Prologue<strong>

So, leave reviews if you so please. I'm eager to hear what you guys think of this idea ;)

Mallon


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